Have you ever tried making an angel food cake from scratch? I don't make it very often, but every so often we have egg whites to use up. This time I had 9 whites. I was just going to pull out my favorite recipe and whip it up, but it called for 14 egg whites!! So I headed for the cookbook collection and found one that only took 8-10 egg whites.
Now I have made an angel food with a vintage recipe before. It didn't turn out so well, so I wasn't too sure what to expect. I did notice differances between the "modern" recipe and the vintage. In the vintage, you do not whip in the sugar like making a merigue, it is just folded in before the flour. Also the temperature was a lot lower. And the flour to egg white ratio was higher then in the modern recipe.
A few tips I have learned about angel food. Definatly leave the egg whites out a couple of minuets to warm up, they get fluffier at room temperture. Cake flour makes a big differance. It is finer and blends in better. If you can't stand the bleached taste (llike I can't), mix half cake flour and half all purpose. Cool throughly, there is nothing worse then a mushy cake. I know it is hard to wait, but it is worth it! I my opinon, the little "legs" on the pan don't work all that well, I used a bottle.
As you can see, it didn't last long. I hardly had time to snap a few pictures! And no time to decide what to put on top!! Even though it wasn't as tall as a regular angel food, I was really happy with the texture. Very fine, but still moist. I think this recipe is a keeper!
Wondering why I would have 9 eggs white to get rid of? Extra Special Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream!!
Instead of using cake flour, I learned to sift my flour three times prior to using in a cake recipe. For this sponge cake, I might sift the flour more than three times, processing the flour seven to nine times through the sifter.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm......sifting.....I haven't tried that yet. I guess I should find myself a cute little vintage sifter and give it a try. Thanks for the tip!
DeleteI love making old-fashioned cakes, I think I've done an angel food cake once before, but you know what...you just inspired me to make another one. I think your cake looks delicious. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletexox,
Jacqueline
Yey! So glad to inspire you! Once you start making cakes from scratch there is no going back!
DeleteI love the versatility of angel food, you can put fruit on top, or drizzle chocolate on it, frost it or just eat it plain!
Did you make a custard with the egg yolks? I haven't made a homemade angel food cake for years. I think I'll do that, as soon as I can find some reason to get rid of all those egg yolks - maybe in homemade frozen custard!!! Anyway, I find that a worcestershire or soy sauce bottle works well to rest the cake upside down while it's cooling.
ReplyDeleteThat is too funny that you said a soy sauce bottle! Exactly what I pulled out of the cupboard to use! It was kinda the other way around, I had the egg whites leftover from making ice cream.
DeleteGlad to inspire you!
I have not made an angel food cake. I will have to give it a try. I have several egg whites in the freezer from making ice cream.
ReplyDeleteHappy 4th!
Once I got over the fear of making angel food it was easy. It really isn't that hard to make. Perfect combination, that is what I had the whites leftover from too, ice cream making. Happy 4th to you too!
Delete